2 Peanuts

Today was different.

I went to knock on the door of a house and standing there in front of the door was a squirrel looking up waiting for someone to answer, like it had just rung the bell.

A little lady opened it and the squirrel sat there like it knew her. Didn’t budge. She opened the storm door, reached her hand out and fed it a full peanut. Shell and all. I thought for sure it would run away. Nope. When I got closer to the door, I tried to introduce myself, with the squirrel was still sitting there. So it was me and this squirrel basically at this ladies door vying for her attention. Me waiting to tell her I was running for ANC and he/she waiting for its (clearly regular) peanut ration. Someone had to budge. Neither of us did.

It wasn’t until she handed it two peanuts did it turn its head, look me up and down and s l o w l y and most deliberately walk to a bush where another squirrel was waiting. I looked back at the little lady and before I could speak she said, “That’s my family. And I have no idea what these people are going to do with this house. Probably sell it because one of them is just rotten. It’s a nice house.”

I said, “It looks lovely. And I’m so sorry your landlord isn’t kind to you and rotten and…”
She interrupted me and said, “I own this house. I meant my kids.”
Speechless, I turned my head to look at the squirrel who at that exact moment was staring at me, like: “What? I got this.”
So I finally said, “I, um, I just wanted to hand you my card to say if you haven’t voted for your ANC and you think I align with what you believe…”
She said, “I already voted for you. You’re the nicest person. I see you all over doing so many nice things.”

And then she threw more peanuts out to her squirrel family. All I could say was thank you and at the same time running through my head was this:

I never met this woman, nor have I ever seen her anywhere in the neighborhood or at markets. She was basically invisible to most of us, living her life making any kind of small connection like so many other people – due to age, health or maybe something else – but she was just plain old fashion nice and had a mega-watt smile.

Every single day I have encountered something unexpected that has impacted me in a way that I never anticipated. We’re all just people living our lives trying to do out best as we all share this time together in this particular neighborhood. Some of us feed squirrels peanuts with shells on them to make a friend and to help them survive. Some run for ANC to help their neighbors. How we show up may look different but if we can there’s no telling the positive outcome. For a person or squirrel.

It’s always mattered, but maybe a little bit more these days.

I’m grateful to all the neighbors and for the stories (so far) on this Road to ANC. One week until election day and 7 more stories to go. I can’t wait to see what and who turns up over the next week.

–Elise for ANC5b03

ps: I will be buying a bag of peanuts with shells on them to feed to my squirrels with the hope they will also have my back, but more importantly: leave my tomato plants alone.